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Akha village  -    
ชาวเขา  
 Address:        
 Known as:        
 Description:   There are six major hill tribe minorities in Northern Thailand, and within some of these are subgroups.

Probably the most visible and colorful are the Akha, known as “Igaw” in Thai, who are noted for the large silver coined headdresses worn by their women. The Akha are thought to have descended from Tibet and they inhabit the upper reaches of Thailand’s highest mountains.  They are still the most traditional ethnic group, with strong animist beliefs, village gates guarded by spirit guardians. They used to be opium farmers but opium has since been replaced with more legal and sustainable crops such as tea. The area around Doi Mae Salong, Thailand’s highest village north of Chiang Rai, is famed for its steep tea-leaf terrace plantations, and both the Akha and the Lisu take part in large New Year celebrations up there.

The Lisu, who are also mountain dwellers, also descended from Tibet; and can be recognized by their extremely colorful flowery costumes and flat headdresses. Many Lisu speak Yunnanese, the language of their northern neighbors, and along with the Akha and Hmong, have managed to retain much of their traditions and culture. The Lisu can be found in Mae Hong Son and Chiang Rai provinces, and you can even learn Lisu weaving, music, and shamanism skills by taking part in a homestay in the small village of Nong Tong from this enterprising cultural immersion program called Lisu Hill Tribe.

The Hmong (Meo in Thai) are among the most vibrant ethnic minorities in Southeast Asia, seen in Vietnam, Laos, China, and Thailand, with various subgroups (Black Hmong, Green Hmong, Flower Hmong) being named because of the bright embroidered outfits they wear. While most ethnic minority groups live in homes built on stilts, the Hmong build their homes without them, instead making dwellings right on top of food storage cellars. One of the best integrated ethnic groups into Thai society, the Hmong can be found in every province across the north, and one of the best places to enjoy Hmong village life is up around Mon Jam, a village up on a ridge above Mae Rim and Chiang Mai, where there is a Royal Project garden, fresh air, camping, charming restaurants overlooking the valley, and Hmong villages stretching all across the surrounding hills.

The Karen is Thailand’s largest hill tribe, with a population of over 300,000, which is more than half of the entire ethnic minority population in the country. They are also separated into wide subgroups, and except for the aforementioned “longneck” Karen, they are neither as colorful nor as visibly apparent to outsiders. The Karen has the largest number of converts to Christianity of any minority group as well. Many Karen have settled in Thailand fleeing war and oppression along the border in neighboring Myanmar, and it’s only more recently that some of these areas have become peaceful and open to tourism. A great spot to go trekking, escape from it all, and learn about Karen culture is at the Karen Hill Tribe Lodge, located well off the beaten track in the mountains northwest of Chiang Mai.

Other hill tribe groups include the Lahu, also known as Mussur. Their tribal name means “hunters,” gained through their early prowess as hunters and trappers. With a dialect close to Chinese, many Lahu have gone to Taiwan to work, and they have done very well economically, and many now own lychee plantations across Thailand’s north. The Yao, noted for the beautiful large turbans and thick red neck wraps worn by the women, are one of the only hill tribe groups that has a written language, and they excel both as paper makers and in designing farm tool instruments. The Yao population in Thailand is small though, and they are more prevalent in northern Laos, Yunnan, and northern Vietnam.
 
 Province   Chiang Rai  Direction:      
 District   Mae Sai    
 City   Pong Ngam  Comments:    Official Web:    
 Genre   Local life      Related links:      
 Best exposure   AM/PM          
 Rating            
 Opening time   N/A          
 Entry fee   Free     GPS :   20.35081 N 99.826680 E  
                     
                     
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